Alternative Coast to Coast Walk

Alternative Coast to Coast Walk

An alternative to Wainwright's famous walk, travelling through the Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors.

5 to 13 nights
59-133 miles
Moderate to Demanding / Strenuous

From £635 per person

Find your holiday

About the trail

This alternative to Wainwright's classic route offers a gentler walk across the north of England from coast to coast. On this self-guided walking holiday, you'll cross the country from Arnside on the shores of Morecambe Bay to Saltburn-by-the-Sea by the North Sea. The Alternative Coast to Coast passes through remarkable scenery, including limestone hills and ancient woodland in the Arnside and Silverdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the valleys and villages of the Yorkshire Dales and the heathery hills and green dales of the North York Moors.

The famous Ribblehead Viaduct can be seen along this trail, along with many other architectural and historical wonders to enjoy, including Bolton Castle and England’s oldest theatre.

We offer multiple holiday options along this trail. If you wish to experience the entire trail, simply select the first option from the list below.

Choose your route

  • Alternative Coast to Coast Walk
  • Alternative Coast to Coast - West section
  • This route includes dog friendly tour options Alternative Coast to Coast - East Section

Dog friendly tours available

Dogs are welcome on select routes along this trail. Look for the pawprint icon when choosing your holiday.

About this route

5 to 6 nights
59 miles
Moderate to Moderate / Demanding
2nd January to 24th December
Includes Dog-Friendly Tours

From £635 per person

Alternative Coast to Coast - East Section

The Eastern section of the Alternative Coast to Coast starts in the old town of Richmond and continues through the dramatic landscape of the North York Moors to Saltburn-by-the-Sea. The trail visits the wonderful Yorkshire towns of Danby Wiske, Ingleby Cross and Clay Bank Top, each with their own unique charm.

The walk features fantastic viewpoints including Urra Moor and Roseberry Topping, showcasing breath taking views. There is also plenty of local history to discover, including Captain Cook’s famous memorial and the heritage and folklore surrounding the Victorian town of Saltburn-by-the-Sea.

Available tours

Code Tour Duration Difficulty Price per person
ACCWE1 From Richmond to Saltburn-by-the-Sea 5 nights, 4 days walking Moderate / Demanding £635
ACCWE2 From Richmond to Saltburn-by-the-Sea 6 nights, 5 days walking Moderate £760

Alternative Coast to Coast - East Section 5 nights, 4 days walking

£NNN per person
  • Itinerary
  • What's included?
  • Extra nights?
  • Tour facts
  • Route profile
  • Travel info
  • Weather
  • Holiday Highlights
Start

Travel to Richmond where your first night's accommodation will be booked

Day 1

Richmond to Ingleby Cross. 22.5 miles (36km)

Day 2

Ingleby Cross to Clay Bank Top(T). 12.5 miles (20km)

Day 3

Clay Bank Top(T) to Captain Cook's Monument(T). 12 miles (19km)

Day 4

Captain Cook's Monument(T) to Saltburn-by-the-Sea. 12 miles (19.5km)

Finish

Depart from Saltburn-by-the-Sea after breakfast

Your Itinerary

This itinerary lists our preferred overnight stops for this tour. Sometimes there may be a shortage of available accommodation in a preferred location, in which case we will transfer you from the trail to your accommodation and back again at no extra charge. Overnight stops marked with a (T) will always require transfers as standard.

Overnight stops marked with an (L) have very limited accommodation, and therefore more often than not will also require a transfer, particularly on bank holidays and weekends. We will use non-transfer accommodation wherever possible.

The daily mileages quoted are average trail miles only and do not include the distance from the trail to your accommodation. We do not expect you to have to travel more than a mile from the trail to your accommodation in most cases; should your accommodation be further than this, transfers will be provided as standard if practical. A very limited number of stops will require you to travel on foot up to two miles off the trail, however these instances will be clearly communicated to you if applicable.

Further transfers may also be required due to some accommodations having a two-night minimum booking policy, especially at weekends.

Below are the additional costs that may apply depending on your requirements. Dog-friendly tours are subject to a Daily Dog Charge, which will be listed below if applicable. Our standard prices per person are based upon two people sharing a room; if you are on your own, or are part of a group but require a room of your own, then the Solo Traveller or Single Supplements apply respectively:

A note about transfers
Solo Traveller Supplement
£60.00 per person / per night
Single Supplement
£50.00 per person / per night


You can add rest days at any of the overnight stops:

Extra night (Standard)
£65.00 per person / per night
Extra night (Saltburn-by-the-Sea)
Price on request
Standard
Interactive
© Contours Walking Holidays Alternative Coast to Coast - East Section map
Richmond to Saltburn-by-the-Sea
59 miles (95 km)
2nd January to 24th December

Holiday highlights

Experiencing the remote landscape of the North York Moors and enjoying the sensation of walking through wild, open space.

Admiring the spectacular views over the Vale of Mowbray from the highest point on the trail at Urra Moor.

Arriving in Saltburn-by-the-Sea on the coast and visiting both the Smuggler’s Museum and the beautiful woodland centre of Valley Gardens.

What's included?

  • 5 nights' accommodation in en-suite rooms (where available) in selected B&B’s, hotels, inns and guesthouses along the trail, or a short distance away via taxi provided at our expense.
  • Breakfast each day.
  • Door to door luggage transfer.
  • Maps with the route marked on and a guidebook or route notes describing the trail.
  • An information pack containing an itinerary, instructions on how to find your accommodation each night and a kit list.
  • Detailed travel instructions on how to get to the start of your holiday and back from the end of it.

Extra Nights & Rest Days

To ensure that you don't miss some of the fascinating locations along the trail, an extra night is a great way to extend your holiday.

Richmond is a good choice for a rest day, with charming cobbled streets and market place, a Norman castle, unusual church, Georgian theatre and museums to explore.

You can add rest days at any of the overnight stops:

Extra night (Standard)
£65.00 per person / per night
Extra night (Saltburn-by-the-Sea)
Price on request

Tour Facts

Total distance: 59 miles (94.5 km)
Duration: 5 nights, 4 days walking
Minimum daily distance: 12 miles (19 km)
Maximum daily distance: 22.5 miles (36 km)
Code: ACCWE1 Grade: Moderate / Demanding
Season: 2nd January - 24th December
Start of holiday: Richmond
End of holiday: Saltburn-by-the-Sea

Route Profile

Alternative Coast to Coast - East Section Route Profile

Travel Information

Useful information and travel links that will assist you in your plans to travel to the start of the holiday and back from the end of it are sent to you with your full tour pack. A summary is given below:

By Air - The most convenient major cities and international airports are Leeds Bradford, Durham-Tees Valley and Manchester.

By Rail - The nearest rail stations to the start of the trail (Richmond) are either Darlington (about 12 miles away) or Northallerton (about 20 miles away). There is a rail station at the end of the trail (Saltburn).

By Bus - There is a bus service to Richmond from Darlington, but no direct service from Northallerton, so a taxi would be the best option. Various bus services run from Saltburn-by-the-Sea.

From London - Trains run from London Kings Cross station to Darlington and Northallerton. A bus or taxi will then be required to Richmond.

Return To The Start - The easiest way to return to the start of the trail is to take a train from Saltburn to Darlington. From there a bus or taxi will be required to Richmond. A taxi for the whole journey would be quicker.

Weather Information

To find out more about the weather forecast for your chosen holiday's general location, please see the following websites:

  • MetCheck - This website allows you to look up detailed weather information for specific locations as far as six months in advance.
  • Met Office - This website shows regional area forecasts a few days in advance, with a general UK forecast description of up to 30 days in advance.
  • Mountain Forecast - This website shows what the forecast is like up on specific hills and fells, and offers forecasts a few days in advance.